A little while ago I was invited to my local Hobbycraft store in Norwich to see the new Spring range, which included some fabulous bits and bobs for Easter. At around the same time I was also sent a box full of goodies to create a wonderful Easter Tree. Filled with inspiration I had a great time creating my tree.

I have been wanting to do something with one of the fabulous tree decorations that Hobbycraft sell for quite some time. I love that you can hang different things on the tree throughout the year to have a year round centre piece.

What I used

• White Twig Tree
• Copper Wire
• Ceramic Hanging Chicks x 2
• Ceramic Hanging Bunnies x 2
• Ceramic Hanging Eggs x 2
• Pastel Porcelaine Paint Set
• Decorate Your Own Eggs
• Grass Bunny
• Chicks
• Fillable Egg

Tree

The tree comes in two parts, the base and the twig tree. Insert the tree into the base and bends the twigs down into your desired position.

Starting at the base wind the copper wire LED lights round the twigs. I chose these lights as the wires branch off into different strands so they are perfect for decorating a tree without cables trailing everywhere. I also love the copper look, as the wires are on display the should be pretty.

Flat decorations

I love the bunny, chick and egg flat ceramic decorations. They look great finished with the pastel ceramic paints and L joined in decorating these ones which makes them extra special to me.

I started by painting the backs of all the decorations with a thin, plain layer of ceramic paint. Left them to dry for 24 hours as per the instructions and then cured them in the oven.

Once they were prepped I let L help me decorate the fronts of them. We painted them and decorated them just as we wanted. L helped pick out the colours and painted them for a bit too.

Again they needed to dry for 24 hours before being cured in the oven.

My tip for these decorations is to take the hanging loop out before you start decorating and pop it back in when they are finished.

Eggs

The eggs come in a four pack with all the paints and ribbons you need. The egg box itself makes a great place to prob the eggs up whilst they are drying.

I went for a spotty egg. A stripy egg. An egg with a flower on it. My final egg is supposed to be the grass with little earth worms and butterflies in the sky. It’s L’s fave egg as he thinks it’s an underwater scene, with seaweed. My artistic skill clearly need some work.

The paints dry quickly but each egg needs to be completed in at least two sittings, otherwise you don’t have a dry spot for sit them on as they dry.

Let your imagination go wild.

Decorating

Obviously I hung the decorations we made on the tree. We’ve also added a little heart that L made me for Valentine’s Day at nursery 🙂

Around the bottom of the tree we’ve added a few other bits though, a fillable egg L picked himself when we went to look round Hobbycraft and a gorgeous faux grass bunny we were given along with some super cool fluffy chicks. You have to have fluffy chicks at Easter. I think it’s a rule.

When Easter is over I’ll pack away the decorations and either leave the tree as it is and just enjoy the lights, or maybe wind one of the gorgeous spring flower garlands round it for a spring/summer look.

Whatever happens, the twig tree is now a permanent fixture.

Disclosure – I have received the products to make this project in return for the article.